Beating a grass-court Grand Slam champion at the Berlin Open! Well, Alexandra Eala did exactly that yesterday as she added another defining chapter to her rising career by beating the grass-court favorite Elena Rybakina. Yet instead of celebrating wildly, the 21-year-old calmly reflected on the key moments that helped her turn the match around and seal a memorable victory.

“She really started on fire, and she came out hot,” Eala said in her post-match interview. “I could get a couple free points with my serve, and I think that helped. And just some good returns. She had, I don’t know how many aces in the first couple of games, so I think getting the (ball) in play was a big help for me.”

Despite the win, the Filipino international found herself trailing early in the first set after the world No. 2 made a blistering start. The 2nd seed blasted 3 aces in the opening game and quickly raced to a 4-1 lead with two more aces and another love hold.

Instead of panicking, the young WTA ace stayed composed and trusted her game. She kept her unforced errors low and forced the Kazakh to take greater risks from the baseline.

That strategy slowly changed the momentum of the contest. After holding serve, Eala earned her first break with a superb backhand winner down the line to cut the deficit to 4-3.

She then found confidence behind her own serve. 2 well-timed aces helped her draw level at 4-4 and put the pressure back on Rybakina.

A few games later, Rybakina missed a simple forehand to hand her opponent another crucial break for a 6-5 lead. Although the former SW19 champion saved one set point, her 23rd unforced error eventually in the opening set handed Eala the comeback.

Reflecting on that approach, Eala added, “I think for me returning, and my game in general, a highlight word would be brave. It makes a big difference when I’m able to do that.”

She carried that same fearless attitude into the second set and ultimately won the match 7-5, 6-4 in 92 minutes.

After the victory, Eala immediately celebrated with her family. “I called my dad,” Eala added on the court. “I said, ‘Oh my god,’ and we were just screaming, and my mom was there too. And I don’t know, I’m just really happy.”

The win felt even more special considering the two-time Grand Slam champion owns a remarkable 34-13 career record on grass and has already captured a Grand Slam title in 2022. 

And with a place in the QF now secured, Eala has already turned her attention to another massive challenge waiting ahead.

Alexandra Eala shares her thoughts ahead of her match against Elina Svitolina

The victory over the current AO champion carried extra meaning for Alexandra Eala. It was only the 2nd meeting between the two players, leaving their H2H record tied at one win each.

The result also served as sweet revenge for the Filipina WTA star. Just a month earlier, Rybakina had defeated her in straight sets at the Italian Open. The former SW19 champion claimed a 6-4, 6-3 victory in Rome. This time in Berlin, however, Eala produced a completely different performance.

The win also became Eala’s 5th career victory over a Top 10 opponent. Impressively, all five of those wins over the players have come in straight sets.

Even more remarkable, 4 of those victories have been against players ranked inside the WTA Top 5. Now, however, an even bigger challenge awaits her as Eala will face 6th seed Elina Svitolina in the QF.

It will be their 1st meeting between the two players. However, despite the challenge ahead, the 21-year-old sounded confident while also showing plenty of respect for her 31-year-old opponent.

“Elina is a very consistent player,” Eala added at the post-match press conference. “She is obviously a huge fighter with her background and her experience. But she’s also able to be aggressive when she needs to be. So I’m expecting a really good match, and I hope to bring out the best and showcase my tennis.”

With her biggest grass-court win now behind her, Eala is ready for another major test against the Ukrainian today. The QF now promises to be another exciting chapter in her impressive Berlin Open campaign.